2020–21 Sunderland A.F.C. season explained

Club:Sunderland A.F.C.
Season:2020–21
Manager:Phil Parkinson
(until 29 November)[1]
Lee Johnson
(from 5 December)[2]
Mgrtitle:Head Coach
Chairman:Stewart Donald
(until 18 February)
Kyril Louis-Dreyfus
(from 18 February)[3]
Chrtitle:Owner
Stadium:Stadium of Light
League:League One
League Result:4th
Cup1:FA Cup
Cup1 Result:First round
Cup2:EFL Cup
Cup2 Result:First round
Cup3:EFL Trophy
Cup3 Result:Winners
League Topscorer:Charlie Wyke (26)
Season Topscorer:Charlie Wyke (31)
Average Attendance:0
Pattern La1:_left
Pattern B1:_sunderland2021h
Pattern Ra1:_right
Pattern Sh1:_safc2021h
Pattern So1:_socks
Leftarm1:FF0000
Body1:FF0000
Rightarm1:FF0000
Shorts1:000000
Socks1:FF0000
Pattern B2:_sunderland2021a
Leftarm2:000055
Body2:000055
Rightarm2:000055
Shorts2:FF0000
Socks2:000055
Prevseason:2019–20
Nextseason:2021–22

The 2020–21 season was Sunderland's 142nd season in their history and the third consecutive season in EFL League One. Along with League One, the club also participated in the FA Cup, EFL Cup and EFL Trophy. The season covered the period from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021.

The club finished fourth in the league and would miss out on promotion after losing 3–2 on aggregate to Lincoln City in the play-off semi final. They were winners of the EFL Trophy, beating Tranmere Rovers 1–0 in the final, in the club's first win at Wembley since 1973.

First team squad

Squad No.NameNationalityPosition(s)AgeEndsSigned fromAppsGoals
Goalkeepers
1Lee BurgeGK2021 Coventry City220
20Remi MatthewsGK2021 Bolton Wanderers60
43Anthony PattersonGK2021Academy10
51Adam RichardsonGK2024Academy00
Defenders
2Conor McLaughlinRB2021 Millwall300
3Tom FlanaganCB2022 Burton Albion764
4Jordan WillisCB2021 Coventry City502
5Bailey WrightCB2022 Bristol City201
16Dion SandersonCB2021 Wolves (loan)30
19Arbenit XhemajliCB2022 Neuchâtel Xamax10
25Callum McFadzeanLB2021 Plymouth Argyle30
33Denver HumeLB2021Academy642
35Ollie YoungerCB2021 Burnley10
40Brandon TaylorCB2021Academy60
54Patrick AlmondCB172021Academy00
Midfielders
6Max PowerCM2021 Wigan Athletic989
7Chris MaguireAM2021 Bury9825
8George DobsonCM2022 Walsall442
11Lynden GoochAM2022Academy13621
13Luke O'NienCM2021 Wycombe Wanderers10910
14Josh ScowenCM2022 Queens Park Rangers171
17Elliot EmbletonAM2021Academy120
21Jack DiamondRW2024Academy91
23Grant LeadbitterCM2021 Middlesbrough16514
24Dan NeilCM2022Academy40
26Carl WinchesterCM2023 Forest Green Rovers10
28Aiden McGeadyLW2020 Everton8622
29Cieran DunneLW2021 Falkirk10
34Jake HackettCM2022Academy30
36Sam WildingDM2021 West Bromwich Albion10
38Vinnie SteelsLW2021 Burnley10
39Stephen WearneAM2021 Middlesbrough00
42Josh HawkesAM2022 Hartlepool United10
Forwards
9Charlie WykeST2021 Bradford City7719
10Aiden O'BrienST2022 Millwall121
12Benjamin Mbunga-KimpiokaST2021 IK Sirius143
22Will GriggST2022 Wigan Athletic568
27Jordan JonesLW2021 Rangers (loan)102
31Ross StewartST2023 Ross County11
46Mitchell CurryST2021 Middlesbrough00

Transfers

See main article: List of English football transfers summer 2020 and List of English football transfers winter 2020–21.

Transfers in

DatePos.Nat.NameFromFeeRef.
30 July 2020 Free transfer [4]
2 August 2020 Free transfer [5]
15 August 2020 Bobby Beaumont Free transfer
15 August 2020 Sam Wilding Free transfer [6]
15 August 2020 Vinnie Steels Free transfer
21 August 2020 Free transfer [7]
21 August 2020 Free transfer [8]
28 August 2020 Free transfer [9]
1 September 2020 Will Harris Free transfer [10]
4 September 2020 Free transfer[11]
7 September 2020 Free transfer [12]
9 September 2020 Stephen Wearne Free transfer [13]
15 September 2020 Undisclosed [14]
16 September 2020 Free transfer
16 September 2020 Free transfer [15]
21 October 2020 Free transfer [16]
10 January 2021 Undisclosed [17]
31 January 2021 Undisclosed [18]

Loans in

Date fromPos.Nat.NameFromDate untilRef.
16 October 2020 End of season [19]
29 January 2021 End of season [20]
29 January 2021 End of season [21]

Loans out

Date fromPos.Nat.NamToDate untilRef.
29 September 2020 End of season [22]
22 January 2021 End of season [23]
1 February 2021 End of season [24]
2 February 2021 End of season [25]
27 March 2021 End of season [26]

Transfers out

DatePos.Nat.NameToFeeRef.
1 July 2020 Ahmed Abdelkader Unattached Released
1 July 2020 Released [27]
1 July 2020 Released [28]
1 July 2020 Adam Cameron Released
1 July 2020 Michael Collins Unattached Released
1 July 2020 Lilyan Compper Unattached Released
1 July 2020 Jack Connolly Released [29]
1 July 2020 Andrias Edmundsson Released [30]
1 July 2020 Kane Evans Released
1 July 2020 Owen Gamble Released [31]
1 July 2020 Nathan Greenwood Unattached Released
1 July 2020 Ryan Leonard Released
1 July 2020 Unattached Released [32]
1 July 2020 Released [33] [34]
1 July 2020 Free transfer [35]
1 July 2020 Liam Miller Unattached Released
1 July 2020 Jack Newman Released [36] [37]
1 July 2020 Harry Ord Released [38]
1 July 2020 Released [39]
1 July 2020 Released
1 July 2020 Connor Slack Released
1 July 2020 Released [40] [41]
1 July 2020 Tom Smith Released
1 July 2020 Released [42]
1 July 2020 Released [43]
3 July 2020 Cole Kiernan Free transfer [44]
18 July 2020 Undisclosed
18 July 2020 Logan Pye Undisclosed [45]
27 July 2020 Free transfer [46]
27 July 2020 Undisclosed [47]
8 January 2021 Jay Turner-Cooke Undisclosed [48]
20 January 2021 Free transfer [49]
1 February 2021 Retired Retired [50]

Competitions

EFL League One

See main article: 2020–21 EFL League One.

Matches

The 2020–21 season fixtures were released on 21 August.[51]

FA Cup

See main article: 2020–21 FA Cup.

The draw for the first round was made on Monday 26, October.[52]

EFL Cup

See main article: 2020–21 EFL Cup.

The first round draw was made on 18 August, live on Sky Sports, by Paul Merson.[53]

EFL Trophy

See main article: 2020–21 EFL Trophy.

See also: 2021 EFL Trophy Final.

The regional group stage draw was confirmed on 18 August.[54] The second round draw was made by Matt Murray on 20 November, at St Andrew's.[55] The third round draw was made on 10 December 2020 by Jon Parkin.[56] The Quarter Final draw was made on 23 January 2021 by Sam Parkin.[57] The Semi Final draw was made on 5 February 2021 by Adebayo Akinfenwa.[58]

Appearances and goals

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Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sunderland sack manager Parkinson . Sky Sports . 29 November 2020.
  2. Web site: Sunderland appoint Johnson as head coach . British Broadcasting Corporation . 6 December 2020.
  3. Web site: Louis-Dreyfus acquires controlling interest in Sunderland AFC. Sunderland AFC . 18 February 2021.
  4. News: O'Brien signs for Sunderland . 30 July 2020 . . 30 July 2020.
  5. News: Bailey's Back: Wright returns to Sunderland . 2 August 2020 . . 2 August 2020.
  6. News: Under-23 trio sign up . 15 August 2020 . . 15 August 2020.
  7. News: Feeney joins the Lads . 21 August 2020 . . 21 August 2020.
  8. News: Matthews signs for Sunderland . 21 August 2020 . . 21 August 2020.
  9. News: Kenton Richardson joins the club . 28 August 2020 . . 28 August 2020.
  10. News: Will Harris joins Under-23s . 1 September 2020 . . 1 September 2020.
  11. News: Xhemajli signs for Sunderland . 4 September 2020 . . 4 September 2020.
  12. News: Former Blackburn Rovers striker Danny Graham joins Sunderland . 7 September 2020 . Lancs Live . 7 September 2020.
  13. News: Stephen Wearne joins Sunderland . 10 September 2020 . . 9 September 2020.
  14. News: Josh Hawkes signs for Sunderland . 15 September 2020 . . 15 September 2020.
  15. News: Under-23 duo sign up . 16 September 2020 . . 16 September 2020.
  16. Web site: Sunderland sign defender McFadzean . BBC . 22 October 2020.
  17. Web site: Carl Winchester joins Sunderland . Forest Green Rovers FC . 10 January 2021 . 10 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210110220950/https://www.fgr.co.uk/news/january-2021/news-carl-winchester-joins-sunderland . dead .
  18. Web site: Stewart departs Staggies . Ross County FC - Official Site . 31 January 2021.
  19. Web site: Sanderson signs for Sunderland . Sunderland AFC . 16 October 2020.
  20. Web site: Sunderland bring in Northern Ireland winger from Rangers on loan . Irish Football Association - Official Site . 29 January 2021.
  21. Web site: Vokins joins Sunderland on loan . Southampton FC - Official Site . 29 January 2021.
  22. Web site: Sunderland AFC forward seals exit as Scottish side swoop . Sunderland Echo . 29 September 2020.
  23. Web site: Dons seal loan deal for Sunderland midfielder . AFC Wimbledon - Official Site . 22 January 2021.
  24. Web site: Seasiders Sign Elliot Embleton On Loan . Blackpool FC - Official Site . 2 February 2021.
  25. Web site: Sunderland confirm Will Grigg exit as he joins MK Dons on loan . Chronicle Live . 2 February 2021.
  26. Web site: Benji Kimpioka Joins United On Loan . Torquay United - Official Site . 27 March 2021.
  27. News: Double Swoop . 1 September 2020 . . 29 August 2020.
  28. News: Jack Baldwin: Bristol Rovers sign former Sunderland defender . BBC Sport . 20 July 2020 . 20 July 2020.
  29. Web site: Cabinteely sign Connolly from Sunderland . . 15 August 2020.
  30. Web site: Presentamos a Adrias Edmundsson . . 30 July 2020.
  31. Web site: York City sign midfield pair Akil Wright and Owen Gamble . York Press . 29 September 2020.
  32. News: Trio offered new deals, as five depart . 18 June 2020 . . 17 June 2020.
  33. News: Lafferty leaves Sunderland . 14 June 2020 . . 14 June 2020.
  34. News: Lafferty completes move to Reggina . 27 July 2020 . . 25 July 2020.
  35. News: Rangers sign Scotland keeper McLaughlin . 23 June 2020 . . 23 June 2020.
  36. News: SAFC confirm retained list . 10 July 2020 . . 23 June 2020.
  37. News: Dundee United snap up ex-Sunderland goalkeeper Jack Newman . 10 July 2020 . . 10 July 2020.
  38. Web site: Pickering make two signings . Non League Yorkshire . 29 September 2020.
  39. News: Blackpool sign midfielder Robson . 6 August 2020 . . 6 August 2020.
  40. News: Tommy Smith leaves SAFC . 14 June 2020 . . 29 May 2020.
  41. News: Tommy Smith Signs For The U's . 26 August 2020 . . 25 August 2020.
  42. Web site: Duncan Watmore Signs Boro Contract . Middlesbrough FC . 17 November 2020.
  43. News: Ex-Sunderland defender Alim Ozturk secures new club as Peterborough co-owner reacts to streaming price . 27 August 2020 . . 26 August 2020.
  44. News: Youngster Cole Kiernan Joins Boro . 3 July 2020 . . 3 July 2020.
  45. News: Joe Hugill reacts as his and Logan Pye's moves from Sunderland to Man Utd are announced . 27 July 2020 . Chronicle Live . 18 July 2020.
  46. News: Jordan Hunter completes move to South Shields after rejecting Sunderland offer . 27 July 2020 . . 27 July 2020.
  47. News: Norwich City confirm Bali Mumba signing . 27 July 2020 . The Pink Un . 27 July 2020.
  48. Web site: Jay Turner-Cooke joins United's Academy . Newcastle United FC . 8 January 2021.
  49. Web site: Defender signs short-term deal . Carlisle United FC . 20 January 2021.
  50. Web site: Danny Graham departs. Sunderland AFC. 1 February 2021. 1 February 2021.
  51. News: Sky Bet League One fixtures 2020/21 . 21 August 2020 . . 21 August 2020.
  52. Web site: EFL League One And Two Clubs Join Emirates FA Cup After Monday’s first round Draw . The FA . 28 October 2020.
  53. News: Carabao Cup Round One draw confirmed . 18 August 2020 . . 18 August 2020.
  54. News: EFL Trophy Regional Groups confirmed . 18 August 2020 . English Football League.
  55. Web site: Papa John’s Trophy Round Two draw . English Football League . 27 November 2020.
  56. Web site: Papa John's Trophy Round Three draw. English Football League . 12 January 2021.
  57. Web site: Papa John's Trophy Quarter Final draw. English Football League . 23 January 2021.
  58. Web site: Papa John's Trophy Semi Final draw. English Football League . 5 February 2021.

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